Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, 83, has candidly acknowledged that his political career was shaped and subsequently derailed by his association with the Gandhi family.
Aiyar, during a recent interview spoke about his limited personal interactions with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi over the years.
“For 10 years, I was not given an opportunity to meet Sonia Gandhi one-on-one. I was not given an opportunity, except once, of spending any meaningful time with Rahul Gandhi. And I have not spent time with Priyanka except on one occasion, no, two occasions,” Aiyar said.
Despite this, he maintained that he remains in touch with Priyanka Gandhi occasionally over the phone.
“The irony of my life is that my political career was made by the Gandhis and unmade by the Gandhis. And I take it that this is what happens,” he remarked.
Aiyar recounted an incident during his suspension from the Congress when he sought to wish Rahul Gandhi on his birthday but had to channel the message through Priyanka Gandhi.
“I happened to meet her (Priyanka Gandhi) and she has always been very kind to me. And I thought that since Rahul's birthday was in June, I could ask her to convey my greetings to Rahul,” he said.
Priyanka, surprised by the request, asked why Aiyar would not directly wish Rahul. To this, Aiyar replied: “I am suspended and therefore I can't talk to my leader.”
Aiyar further revealed that he penned a letter to Rahul Gandhi, framing birthday wishes as an excuse to address his concerns about his standing within the party.
“I wrote out a letter to... well, it was an excuse, birthday greetings in the first paragraph and then asking the questions about my position in the party,” he said, adding that the letter was never acknowledged.
Follow us
